Letter from George Combe to Francis Jeffrey, esq. [in answer to his criticism of 'Phrenology' contained in no. 88 of the Edinburgh Review] / [George Combe].

  • Combe, George, 1788-1858.
Date:
1826]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letter from George Combe to Francis Jeffrey, esq. [in answer to his criticism of 'Phrenology' contained in no. 88 of the Edinburgh Review] / [George Combe]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    11/80 (page 9)
    “ their request, taken the liberty of applying- to you, through the “ medium of the guard of the Champion coach, for them, who has “ instructions to pay you for them ; and, should it be convenient, “ we would be obliged much by their being sent by return of the * the coach, as there is a meeting to-morrow evening. I remain, re- “ pected Sir, your obedient servant, Alexander Taylor.” Here, then, is evidence, that, notwithstanding of your ut¬ most efforts, and not of yours alone, but those of nearly the whole periodical press of Europe, Asia, and America, Phre¬ nology has extended itself into all these regions of the globe, and now embraces among its votaries men of every rank and profession, from the senator to the mechanic. One would imagine that such facts, if known to you, might have made you pause, and doubt of the infallibility of your own philoso¬ phy. The degree of knowledge which has forced its way into your mind has, indeed, modified the style of the present Review greatly to the better. Phrenologists were formerly “ quacks,” “ empirics,” “ itinerant philosophers,” “ mountebanks,” “ and “ cunning craniologersnow they are men of “ more than “ common acuteness;” but their doctrines are still “ crude,” “ shal- “ low,” “ puerile,” “ fantastic,” “ dull,” “ dogmatic,” <e incredibly “ absurd,” foolish,” “ extravagant,” and “ trash.” How, then, does it happen that a gentleman of your acknowledged talent and courtesy should be betrayed into such a dismal situation as you now occupy ? for, after twenty-three years’ experience of defeat, you are still denouncing a large number of intelli¬ gent men as lost in utter stupidity, because, after full exami¬ nation, they believe in what you admit is, after all, a pure question of fact! This is easily explained without disparage¬ ment either to your sentiments or intellect. Your opinions were formed in a different school, before Phrenology was heard of; and you have never been able to overcome the force of your first impressions so far as to study it with an impartial mind. Locke, in adverting to persons in a similar condition, says, “ What probabilities are sufficient to prevail in such a case? And “ who ever, by the most cogent arguments, will be prevailed upon “ to disrobe himself at once of all his old opinions and pretensions “ to knowledge and learning, which with hard study he hath all his